The Victoria brewery accepted the award at the marquee event of B.C. Craft Beer Month, held at the Croatian Cultural Centre in East Vancouver. The awards, spanning 17 styles of beer, were part of a tasting festival that included a variety of casks.

Hermannator, a rich, malty, 9.5% lager that’s conditioned for three months before every winter release, has long been a favourite among the province’s beer drinkers, having celebrated its 25th anniversary last year — and it edged some big names in B.C.’s ever expanding craft beer scene.

East Vancouver’s Parallel 49 Brewing Company, little more than a year old, went home with eight gongs, including a gold for its Gypsy Tears ruby ale (American Ale category).

Some of B.C.’s freshest newbies also put in a good showing, in particular Persephone (Gibsons) and Deep Cove (North Vancouver). Both ventures are just months old but won a gold each, the former for its Stout-Off Stout, the latter for its Quick Wit Wheat.

Hermannator has long been an anticipated seasonal release in B.C. and has become one of the province’s most popular beers to cellar. (Plus it makes damn fine cookies.) This year’s batch should be released some time next month.

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